Safe Job vs. Dream Job

[itsacalling721]

Help! I am a BSN nursing student who will graduate in two weeks and I have a big decision to make. I have received a job offer on the step-down unit where I did my senior residency. I loved the people I worked with, but my dream is to a be a pediatric/nursery nurse. The problem is that my position on the step-down unit starts a week after graduation as a GN, which is before I will even get to interview for the pediatric/nursery positions I have applied for. Additionally, I will have to sign an 18 month contract at the step-down unit hospital. They are also in different cities. The job offer is in a small city where I went to school and the pedi/nursery jobs I have applied to are in San Antonio where my family currently lives. I've been going back and forth on taking the sure thing job and getting much needed experience or taking a risk that I will get a pedi/nursery job in San Antonio. I don't want to turn down a great opportunity, but at the same time I don't want to risk missing out on my dream job! Any suggestions?!?!

[dt70]

I would go for the sure thing.

It would be heart breaking if you turned down an opportunity then unforeseen circumstances led to the breakdown of the desired position.

Do well on the job and doors will open. Maybe a better dream position will be available that would be closed if you took the original.

[Dranger]

Step down=critical care. No contest. Who knows you might even like peds/nursery after doing this job. Besides critical care opens A LOT more doors than peds/nursery IMO. CC has that wow factor for a lot of jobs in other specialty areas, CRNA/NP school or management.

[IThinkICan100]

It would never hurt to take the safe job, especially being that you are a new grad just getting that fresh 1-2 years of experience. OB/Peds is a very popular specialty that will have a lot of applications per opening; many of the applicants will have way more experience than you.

I would take the safe job and build up your skills. Then, when you finish your contract, you will have a lot of experience and will be more qualified for OB/Peds. Generalize and then specialize.